Going Downhill
by caramelsong
Summary: A dinner date with Petunia and Vernon goes horribly wrong and the Evans sisters become more distant than ever. And James shows Lily just how devoted he was to her.


I don't own this. I found this new info on the Pottermore Press Con, and it just sparked the old writing bug. Check out the Harry Potter wiki for the story, it's on the article about Aunt Petunia. For those of you who are also reading my other story, _A Ray Of Light_, chapter 5 is still on paper. I haven't had the time to type it out (I actually enjoy writing on paper more than typing it out).

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"I have to do what?"

James stared at his girlfriend incredulously, wide eyed. Lily sighed heavily. "James, it's just one night! Please promise me you'll at least act civil. Mum thinks it's a good idea, and I'm hoping that this would improve my relationship with Petunia, you know how we drifted apart."

"Lily, you see the way your sister looks at me. She thinks I'm scum in her shoes."

"Please, just do it for me? It's one night, it won't kill you."

"It might", James muttered under his breath.

"Just promise me you'll be at least civil towards Petunia and Vernon", Lily pleaded.

James groaned audibly before holding up his hands in apparent surrender. "Alright. But only because I love you! If it were anyone else, I would never spend more than ten seconds with your sister."

Lily hugged him gratefully and reached up to kiss him cheek. "Thank you so much, James, you don't know how much this means to me!"

"But you have to help me dress as normally as possible", he said seriously. "I want to make the best possible impression on your sister and her boyfriend."

Just when Lily thought she could not love James more, he goes ahead and proves her wrong. She launched herself into him again and said, "Thank you, James. Really, thank you."

James smiled. For her, he was prepared to face an angry Horntail.

Lily took him shopping in Muggle London that day and together they chose a smart coat and tie for James to wear to dinner. Lily found it endearing that James looked at many things in awe, asking her about things that he did not understand. Lily almost forgot the dread at the pit of her stomach as she thought of the upcoming dinner while she strolled with James around the city, blending in with the rest of the Muggles, looking like an ordinary couple on a date.

They arrived at the restaurant earlier that what was agreed, James in his coat and tie and Lily in a black dress. They were already seated when Petunia and Vernon arrived. Lily winced slightly when she noticed Vernon staring at her and James, obviously making assumptions in his head.

"Hello, Petunia," Lily greeted cordially.

"Lily," Petunia nodded curtly.

The two took their seats across Lily and James. "So how are you, Petunia?" Lily said, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Fine," Petunia responded stiffly. Lily tried to hide it, but James saw a pain cross her features for the tiniest moment. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze from under the table. She looked at him tenderly, before giving him a small smile.

After they gave their orders to the waiter, an uncomfortable silence descended upon the four. Lily was trying to catch Petunia's eye while Petunia did her best to ignore her. Vernon stared at James with his piggy little eyes, who was resisting the urge to tell Petunia off for causing his girlfriend pain.

"So, what kind of car do you drive?" Vernon directed the question to James, who looked back at him, quite unsure of what to say. "I drive a Mercedes 300D myself, great car it is. It's rather speedy, not to mention _expensive_."

Lily stared at Vernon, horrified. He seemed to be waiting to judge James according to what his answer would be- as if the car you drive makes you any better. Petunia noticed the look on Lily's face and leaned forward, smug.

"He doesn't drive, does he, Lily?"

Lily faced her sister, but James beat her to responding.

"I don't drive a car, but I do own a racing broom. Goes at a hundred and thirty miles per hour, it's fantastic! Great brakes too."

If the situation was any less tense, Lily would have burst out laughing at the look on Vernon Dursley's face at James's statement. But the seriousness on James's face would have made anyone who knew him see that he was determined to defend Lily's pride, to show that he was just as deserving of her as Vernon was of Petunia. But the contempt on Petunia's face made James regret even saying anything. He looked at Lily, unsure and apologetic. But Lily was too busy glaring daggers at Vernon to notice- she knew he was trying to embarrass James, to show that he was the better man. Lily turned to James, and almost cried. His face showed none of his usual arrogance, instead he was looking rather resigned. He seemed to be struggling to control his temper and Lily was heartbroken to see him like that. All his life he was never been the subject of ridicule or humiliation (except maybe from her). He was the one who holds his head up high, admired and respected for various reasons. The James she was seeing didn't look anything like her James at all. He looked defeated and helpless, making Lily detest her soon to be brother-in-law even more.

"So what if he doesn't drive?" Lily burst out, startling everyone. "Most of us don't, we have our own means of transport, and frankly, they're more convenient."

Vernon didn't seem to be fazed by Lily's remark; instead he turned to James again. "You have a bank account?" he asked, looking almost like he was enjoying the situation.

"Yes," James answered, facing Vernon with fierce determination blazing in his hazel eyes. "My parents have a vault in Gringotts."

"How much is in it?"

"I don't know," James admitted. "Coins are rather hard to count, and wizard money consists mainly of coins."

Petunia looked like she swallowed a lemon when James uttered the word "wizard".

Vernon was going redder at the moment. James genuinely didn't know what he said wrong this time, but the look on Vernon's face suggested that there was something in James's words that he found offensive.

"Do you think I'm a fool?" Vernon demanded of James, who was clenching his fists underneath the table.

"What did I say?" James asked between his teeth.

"Do you honestly think I would believe a word you say?"

"That depends on you," James retorted, unable to take it anymore. "I told you the truth, but it's up to you whether you believe it or not. I'm not forcing you. All I ask is that you keep Lily out of this."

"James-" Lily began, taking his hand in hers.

"Go ahead and say what you want about me, but please, keep Lily out of it," James repeated.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Petunia shrieked, glaring at her sister. "I _knew_ it! You will always be a freak, Lily, and I don't care what Mum says!"

"Tuney-"

"I've had enough of this abnormality of yours! You and your _freak_ boyfriend, just stay away from us!"

"Alright, Petunia, that's enough!" Lily growled. An angry Lily is not one you want to trifle with.

Petunia continued to glare at her sister before rising from her chair and storming off, Vernon waddling after her.

Lily stared after them, and once she thought they were far enough away, she broke down crying in James's arms. He decided to take her home, so he paid the check and Disapparated with her. Lily was still sobbing when they reached James's apartment. "I'm sorry, Lils, I tried, but I promise I'll make it up to them-"

"You don't have to, James, you did what you could, and that's more than enough. It's more than I could ever ask you to do," Lily said tearfully, holding him closer.

He held her there on the couch, stroking her hair and assuring her that she was not alone until she fell asleep.

Petunia was married later that year. She had grudgingly allowed them to attend the wedding, but she flat out refused to have her sister as a bridesmaid. Lily was deeply hurt, but she didn't want to spite Petunia further so she didn't pursue the subject.

Vernon had made another cheap shot at James at the reception, but James, reminding himself what he had promised Lily, ignored him.

"I'm sorry about that, James," Mrs Evans apologized, wrapping an arm around her almost son-in-law. "He certainly has a sharp tongue, doesn't he? I hoped you didn't have to endure this."

"I'm fine Mrs Evans," James said sincerely. "I don't let it bother me."

"Thank you, James."

James just smiled at her in return.

Lily and James left the wedding straight after the reception, unable to stand the number of snobby people present and Vernon and Petunia's condescending faces.

"What do you say we go somewhere tomorrow, just to get your mind off things?" James suggested to Lily, who nodded eagerly.

"Where do you want to go?"

"How about a beach?"

Lily's eyes brightened. "That would be great," she kissed James.

The day that followed was one of the best Lily had ever experienced for ages. They were joined by Alice, Frank, Marlene, Mary, Remus and Sirius, Peter having made an excuse to skip on them.

"Would you two grow up?" Lily demanded, trying, and failing, to look stern at James and Sirius, who were splashing water at each other, their t-shirts damp.

"NO!" the two shouted, resuming their water fight.

Lily rolled her eyes while Remus chuckled appreciatively. "I think we're raising them, Lils," he commented loudly, smirking.

"Oi!" James called from the water, "What was that about raising me with my fiancé'?"

"Well you _are_ acting all childish!" Lily returned, giggling. James ran to her and carried her bridal-style into the sea. She shrieked when he tried to dive with her in his arms, getting her tank top and shorts wet.

"Hey, let's gang up on Lils!" Mary suggested as she led the rest of them into the water with gales of laughter.

Afterwards they sat underneath the shade of Alice's big beach umbrella, on large blankets Lily and Remus laid out, eating packed sandwiches and pie.

"Oh, don't touch the banana cream pie!" Lily warned Mary who was reaching for a slice.

"Why not?" she asked, her hand hovering just above the dish.

"Sirius was doing something to it just now," James supplied, and Sirius gave a look of mock offense.

"Hey!" he said indignantly. "I don't know anything about that!"

Remus, who had already taken a bite of pie, spat it out immediately. "Wha' did you do?"

Sirius snickered before Remus opened his mouth and began to sing in an operatic voice, making everyone spit out their food in surprise.

"That was genius, Padfoot!" James high-fived him, laughing loudly. Remus glared at the two of them.

"How long until it wears off?" Frank asked. "Poor Remus", Alice shook her head.

"Only a few more seconds…" Sirius said, watching Remus continue to sing Schubert's 'Ave Maria' at the top of his voice with a high soprano.

"I am not happy!" Remus snarled at Sirius, who began laughing. Everyone else joined in.

"You have to admit, it was kind of funny," Alice choked out, leaning on Frank's shoulder.

Remus tried- and failed- to look angry but he finally cracked a smile and joined in.

"Let's take a picture!" Mary said, taking out her camera.

"Can you help me take one with my Muggle camera?" Lily said, handing her the camera.

"Sure! You and James first, I assume?"

"If you don't mind," Lily said sweetly, pushing Sirius out of the blanket. He huffed, brushing sand off himself. Lily sat with one of her legs close to her chest and the other stretched out in front of her and she was leaning on James's chest. James had his arms around her. Both of them had sunglasses and large grins on. Mary snapped the picture, capturing the moment. Instead of smiling at the camera, they were gazing adoringly at each other.

"Thank you," Lily said, kissing James.

"Anything for you."

"I love you."

James looked away from their friends, who were busily taking pictures among each other. "I love you too."

Lily leaned back to his chest, contented, with a smile on her face.

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My Thoughts: You don't need to read it, but you can!

I originally wrote a 750 word monologue (rant) but I thought it would be absolutely pointless. Long story short, some people I know came to the conclusion that Snape and Lily were more compatible than Lily and James. I wrote this because of some strong disagreement with that. One difference: James stopped being a bully because it makes Lily mad, but Snape didn't stop being a Death Eater (until after Lily was put to danger, at least. He didn't quit because she didn't like it, in fact he defended it from her, but because she was in danger. I think that's admirable too, but you get my point) even though he knew Lily wouldn't like it. Besides, Snape was a bully too, even worse since he's bullying helpless students. At least he and James are on even footing and he actually fought back when James bullied him. You can say that he was just playing his part but he only needed to be hostile to Harry- Voldy didn't care about how he treated everyone else. He was biased. Of course I admire what he did for Harry, but you can't seriously just underestimate James. Lily chose him- and they loved each other very much. It was just as brave to face Voldy unarmed and ready to die to give your family even the slightest chance of surviving. Just my thoughts.


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